Summary On 27 September2003, during a voyage from Bas Caraquet, New Brunswick, to Makkovik, Labrador, the fishing vessel EvanRichard, with three persons on board, dropped anchor a few hundred metres off the coast of Anticosti Island, Quebec. On 29September, the crew was awakened by strong winds from the south-southeast. The weather was deteriorating rapidly with the approach of the tropical storm Juan. During a manoeuvre to leave the anchorage, the boat started to ship water. A short time later, the after deck was flooded and a Mayday was broadcast as the EvanRichard quickly settled. The occupants sought refuge on top of the wheelhouse which was the only part of the vessel still above water. While attempting to swim to the inflatable boat that the EvanRichard was towing as a lifeboat, the master fell in the water and drifted towards the island. The EvanRichard was driven onto the beach of Anticosti Island about 3nautical miles from the position where the Mayday was broadcast. The master was picked up on the shore by a Search and Rescue helicopter, but the other two persons are still missing. Ce rapport est galement disponible en franais. Other Factual Information Particulars of the Vessel Description of the Vessel The EvanRichard was originally a CapeIslander designed for lobster fishing, for which it was primarily used until2002, when it was purchased by its last owner. In the late summer of2003, it was converted to a scallop dragger. The conversion consisted of the following modifications: installation of a 1.2m platform aft; refit of the weather deck; bulwark raised 104mm; wheelhouse lengthened by 1.2m; refit of the accommodation; fuel tank replaced with a larger one; installation of a derrick and hydraulic rigging for scallop fishing; installation of a VHF radiotelephone, radar and integrated electronic chart display information system, sounder and magnetic compass; installation of power assist on the hydraulic steering gear and an automatic pilot. Photo1. Front view of EvanRichard Photo2. Rear view of EvanRichard History of the Voyage After a major refit at the shipyard in Pokesudie, New Brunswick, the EvanRichard was launched on 20September2003. A few sea tests were conducted on 21September. Over the following days, the crew loaded the boat and prepared it for the voyage. On 26September, the EvanRichard left the marina at Bas Caraquet, New Brunswick, for Makkovik on the Labrador coast. An inflatable boat was towed as a lifeboat. Since the master preferred to sail by day, the first stopover was made on the evening of 26September at Anse--Beaufils on the Gasp Peninsula. The next morning, without having prepared a voyage plan, the boat headed for Anticosti Island. Late that evening, the crew dropped anchor a few hundred metres from the shore in Golands Bay, located approximately 1.5nautical miles northwest of Pointe de l'Est. The vessel spent the day of 28September at anchor; a strong wind was blowing from the south-southeast, and the crew decided to stay in that sheltered position. The crew took the inflatable boat and spent the day visiting the island. They tried to get a weather report on VHF channel9 using the radiotelephone, but to no avail. On 29September, the master awoke at approximately 0530 Newfoundland daylight time3 and observed that the weather conditions were deteriorating. The wind had changed direction and was now coming from the southeast. The wind was stronger now and the boat was rolling dangerously. At approximately 0600, the master decided to leave the anchorage; he woke up the two crew members and told one of them to raise the anchor. At 0604:44, the master sent out a Mayday on VHF channel16, then attempted a manoeuvre to leave the anchorage. Using the power assist, the vessel was turned and hove to. The master noted on the rudder position indicator that the rudder was hard to starboard, while the EvanRichard sheered to starboard. At one point, the master tried to stabilize the boat using the power assist control lever, but the wheel did not seem to respond. When the boat was beam to the seas, it was shipping water on the after deck. At 0614:26, seeing that he could not steer the boat, the master transmitted another Mayday. The boat was downflooding and slowly sinking. Only the top of the wheelhouse remained out of the water. The master tried to reach the inflatable boat, but he was struck by a heavy sea and thrown overboard. He grasped some boards that were floating around him and drifted towards the shore; after several attempts, he was able to scale the cliff. The last time the master saw the other two crew members, they were on the top of the wheelhouse. Search and Rescue Operation The first Mayday sent by the EvanRichard on 29September was received by the Marine Communications and Traffic Services (MCTS) at Rivire-au-Renard, Quebec. The boat reported being in difficulty at 4910'48North latitude and 06142'14West longitude. The second Mayday was the last message received from the EvanRichard by MCTS. Within minutes, the Rivire-au-Renard MCTS transmitted a Mayday Relay and advised the Marine Rescue Sub-centre in Qubec, Quebec. In the meantime, the search was being organized. An aircraft and two helicopters from the National Search and Rescue Program (NSRP), three Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) vessels and two commercial vessels were dispatched to the site. Land guides on the island were also assigned to the operation. At 0924, the NSRP aircraft saw debris in the area identified as being the site of the sinking. After flying over the site for the first time at 1115, one of the NSRP helicopters landed near the shore of Sandtop Bay on Anticosti Island. While discussing the situation with the land guides, the members of the NSRP team spotted the master safe and sound. The helicopter took off a short time later with the master to continue the search and proceeded to Gasp, Quebec, to refuel and disembark the master. The Search and Rescue operation was halted at 1900 on 30September, over 36hours after the sinking. The case was handed over to the Sret du Qubec detachment in Havre-Saint-Pierre, Quebec. Injuries to Persons The two seamen have not been found and were reported missing. Damage The EvanRichard was damaged when it went aground on shore about 3nautical miles from the position where the Mayday was broadcast. It was completely destroyed by the waves and is now considered a total loss. Photo3. The EvanRichard on an Anticosti Island beach a few hours after sinking Photo4. The wreckage of the EvanRichard on an Anticosti Island beach on 03October2003 Certification The master of the EvanRichard holds a fishing master, third-class certificate issued in1994 and a watchkeeping engineer, motor-driven fishing vessel certificate issued in1985. Vessel Certification and Inspection Under the existing regulations, the EvanRichard was not required to be inspected because its gross tonnage was less than15. Furthermore, the boat had not been inspected after its refit in2003. The EvanRichard was required to meet the requirements of the Ship Station (Radio) Regulations, 1999, but it was not required to be inspected or to have a radio certificate. Navigation Instruments and Documentation The navigation equipment on the EvanRichard included a magnetic compass, an echo-sounder, a radar and a global positioning system (GPS). There was also a marine VHF radiotelephone on board, but it was not approved by Transport Canada and it did not have a digital selective calling (DSC) feature. The vessel was equipped with an electronic chart system and paper marine charts, but it did not have Sailing Directions, Radio Aids to Marine Navigation, or Notices to Mariners. Steering Gear Figure2. Schematic of power assist electrical circuit on the EvanRichard Before its refit, the steering gear on the EvanRichard was activated by a manual hydraulic telemotor. The wheel was connected directly to a hydraulic pump and connected through two hydraulic lines to a cylinder, which in turn was attached to the rudder stock. When the wheel was turned, hydraulic pressure was transmitted to the cylinder, which turned the rudder. In the refit, a power assist and an automatic pilot were added to the steering gear. With this addition, besides the telemotor, the vessel could be steered by the power assist using a control lever or by the automatic pilot using a sensor installed on the magnetic compass connected to the control panel (seeFigure2). During the installation, a 20Afuse was added between the drive interface and the power unit (seeA in Figure2). Experience showed that the power unit of the steering gear tended to fail at sea. The fuse was added to limit maintenance and the need to replace this part. On the sea trials during the days preceding the departure, the master told the technician that the fuse blew several times. Evaluation indicated that the fuse blew when the wheel was held hard right or hard left; the system was not equipped with a limit switch. This caused an overload in the circuit and blew the 20Afuse. To solve this problem, it was suggested that a different type of power assist be installed, but the master decided to keep the system already installed due to the additional replacement cost. Rescue Equipment There were no liferaft, immersion suits or emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) on the EvanRichard. None of this rescue equipment is required on a fishing vessel with a gross tonnage of 15or less. An inspection by the insurance company on 17September2003 indicated that there were no lifejackets on board. However, the master confirmed that he had purchased three personal flotation devices (PFDs) prior to departure on the accident voyage. At the time of the sinking, none of the crew members was wearing a PFD. As a lifeboat, the EvanRichard was towing an inflatable boat about 3m in length. This boat was not used at the time of the sinking and was not found after the accident. Loading The EvanRichard was designed for fishing, but its owner used it for operations for which it was not intended. In this case, the EvanRichard was carrying a load of lumber about 1.5m high that completely covered the after deck. The lumber on the deck protruded approximately 1.65 m aft of the transom. The lumber was held in place by one nylon rope running thwartships and attached to steel eyelets screwed into the top of the bulwark. On top of the lumber were six scallop drags. Also, two barrels of diesel fuel were stowed on the forecastle and two more aft of the accommodation. In addition, three cylinders of propane were stowed on top of the bridge. The total weight of some 6570kg was distributed as follows: 2100 kg of lumber (estimated as dry);4 680 kg (6 scallop drags); 690 kg of diesel fuel in four barrels; 100 kg of propane in three cylinders. Photo5. Aft view of the EvanRichard with its load prior to departure from Bas Caraquet Further, it is estimated that there was approximately 3000kg of diesel fuel in the aft fuel tank. There were no freeboard marks or load lines on the EvanRichard. When the boat was loaded, the distance between the surface of the water and the top of the bulwark was some 45cm (seeAppendixA). The scuppers had been blocked with wooden plugs, but since they were not watertight, an electric pump was installed to discharge water from the after deck. Weather Information On 26 September, the forecast for the next 36hours issued by Environment Canada for the Chaleur-Miscou and Anticosti areas was winds from the southwest at 10to 15knots increasing to 15to 20knots from the southeast Saturday afternoon for Chaleur-Miscou and to 20knots Saturday evening for Anticosti. Strong winds were forecast for a considerable period of time. On 27September at 1530, a gale warning was issued for Chaleur-Miscou and Anticosti. On 28September at 1530, the warning for the Anticosti area was replaced with a storm warning, which remained in effect until the afternoon of 29September. In the days preceding the voyage, hurricane Juan came up the east coast of the United States and hit Nova Scotia on 28September. On 29September, as a tropical storm, the depression had reached the North Shore around Natashquan, Quebec. Winds from the south-southeast at 46knots were recorded at the Pointe Heath observation station on Anticosti Island.